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Fourth Floor Frieze

The names of 35 distinguished Illinois authors are etched into the 4th floor frieze of the Illinois State Library Building.

  • Portait of Jane Addams
    Jane Addams
    A Belated Industry; A New Conscience and an Ancient Evil; Newer Ideals of Peace...
  • Portait of Theodore Dreiser
    Theodore Dreiser
    And American Tragedy; Jennie Gerhardt; The Titan...
  • Portait of Studs Terkel
    Studs Terkel
    American dreams, lost and found; Chicago; Giants of jazz...
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Louella Parsons

Born: 1881 in Freeport, Illinois
Died: 1972 in Santa Monica, California

Pen Name: Louella O. Parsons, Louella Oettinger Parsons

Connection to Illinois: Parsons was born in Freeport and moved to Dixon with her family in 1890. In 1912, she moved to Chicago and began writing the first gossip column Chicago Record Herald in 1914.

Biography: Parsons was a renowned editor, gossip columnist, journalist, screenwriter and author. She was the unofficial ''Queen of Hollywood'', and the first person to write a gossip column for the newspapers.

Awards:

Primary Audience(s): Adult readers

Louella Parsons on Women Film Pioneers Project : https://wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-louella-parsons-and-harriet-parsons/
Louella Parsons on WorldCat : http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=louella++parsons

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